Method of winding balls



Nov. 29, 1938. F. HONIG METHOD OF WINDING BALLS Filed Nov. 1, 1935 Fig.1.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

' This invention relates to the art of winding strands on cores ofspherical or similar shape to make articles such as base balls, golf balls and the like, and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

The invention comprehends improved process and apparatus for winding under tension some filamentary material such as cotton, silk, rubber, wire and the like of any desired cross section such as round, square, fiat, oval or other shape, on a starting core of any suitable material and form. The invention also relates to the product of this process and apparatus.

Some of the more specific objects of the in- 15 vention are: to provide. a very simple process and apparatus which are fundamentally correct in principle for winding spherical objects; to provide mechanism which will wind a plurality of balls simultaneously; to provide for winding either hard or soft coverings on a core without damaging, by chafing or otherwise, the filament being wound; to provide for winding upon either a hard or a soft core; to wind without interruption, either due to broken filaments or for changing balls; and to provide other advantages and features of novelty which will be apparent as the description of a specific embodiment of the invention proceeds.

For convenience of description we may refer to the sphere being wound as if it were the earth. At a given moment the circle of rolling will be called the polar circle; the circle at right angles to the polar circle and passing through the drive point of the sphere at the same given moment will be called the equatorial circle; and the poles will be located where the axis perpendicular to.

the equatorial plane intersects the polar circle.

According to the present invention a single driving member serves to produce the winding motion to the core to be wound into a sphere. To this single driving member there is imparted a single directional motion in such form as would result from three separate simultaneous circular motions superimposed one over another, namely,

45 a circular motion represented by a circle passing through the poles of a sphere, a second circular motion represented by a circle coinciding with the equator of the sphere, and a third circular motion represented by a comparatively small circle 50 polar circle crosses the equatorial circle.

These circular motions are so combined into one resultant motion as to produce a constantly shifting speed relationship between the several 55 circular motions. For example, the speed along having its center at one of the points where the the polar circle is constantly changed, decreased or increased; the equatorial circle is turned about the poles so that it will take the position formerly occupied by the polar circle and vice versa. The third circular motion is amotion similar to that 5 descrbed by the true poles of the earth rotating about the magnetic poles.

That is to say, if the normal axes or centers of each separate circulatory motion are considered with relation to each other, then these 10 centers or axes are continuously movedabout in relation to each other to produce an ever chan ing relationship between the several circular movements. (In contradistinction to the prior art, in which such relationship as may be present, remains constant and fixed, and their motions intermittent and terminating.) .In the following description and illustration there will be shown and explained several ways in which this combination of circulatory motions and their constant change of relationship may be accomplished.

The relationship of these separate circular motions, as illustrated in the figures, is shown as such that for each revolution of the polar circle the equator is rotated approximately degrees. The third or distributing circular motion is completed once for each 30 degrees 'turn in the equator, or once for each revolution of the polar circle plus the gain factor, at a predetermined 30 size of the sphere. The relationship of these separate circular motions is further changed by the fact that as the winding progresses the ball increases in size; however, the linear speed of the winding filament or the peripheral speed of the ball remains constant during the winding operation.

The invention may be embodied in many different forms, all of which essentially comprise a single driving member to which a resultant single 40 directional motion is imparted by the constantly changing interrelationship of three separate circular motions. For example, the resultant single directional motion may be produced on the face of a disc, 'or on the periphery of a cylinder, cone or sphere, any of which may have a circular or other cross-sectional shape.

However, the invention is not in any way restricted tothe use of the devices to be described for the illustration of the invention, in fact, the invention may be practiced with the core to be wound resting on top of a table and the palm ofthe operators hand -moved about-in the several and continuous circulatory motions above described. In this way, when the description of the invention is closely followed, and with some practice, very excellent results may be obtained. However, naturally, it is preferred toembody the invention in some mechanical device to obtain consistently uniform results. In the following description and illustration a preferred exemplary mechanical embodiment will be shown and explained.

This furnishes a clear illustration of the truerolling action which takes place between the disc 7 and the ball being wound, and also furnishes a clear understanding of he motions and their interrelated combination.

As will be seen from the selected illustrative embodiment, one of the important advantages of this invention is that it permits the employment of very simple apparatus; another is that it provides for the winding of a plurality of balls on the same machine at the same time, which is very economical in floor space and attendants required; another is that the filament or tape is Wound on the core in one continuous length, that is, there is no breaking of the filament due to chafing or other causes during the winding operation. Certain features of the invention disclosed herein are claimed in my copending applications, Serial Number 79,251, filed May 12, 1936, and 79,252, filed May 12, 1936.

The planetary eccentric type of mechanical embodiment may be said to correspond to the practicing of the invention on top of a table with the palm of the hand moving in a plane parallel with the top of the table.

Perhaps it may be clearer to state that the planetary eccentric type represents the invention practiced with the constantly changing relationship of the several circular motions performed with the axis of each circular motion remaining parallel to the axis of every other of the circular motions but movingcloser to or further away from each other.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

I Fig. 1 is a vertical section, partly in side elevation of winding apparatus of the disc type adapted to wind four balls simultaneously;

Fig. 2 is a partial end elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 33 of. Fig.1 to show the ball holding mech anism; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view in the nature of a development, to illustrate the separate circular motions and the single resultant motion and the mannerin which the filament is distributed on the core.

Referring first to Fig. 4 for a graphical explanation of the motions involved, the-line'A represents a fragmental development of a circle rolling in a single direction, as for example a circle on the face of a disc when the disc is rotated about its geometric center. Circle B represents the primary orb in which the secondary, or satellite orb represented by the circle C revolves. The distances along line A between the crossings of. lines I, 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent the developed circumference of a smaller circle rolling along line A. This smaller circle may be For a sphere rolling along the face of a disc in a circular path represented by the development of line A, which for clearness of explanation, may be referred to as circle A.

The rotative center, as distinguished from the geometric center, of the circle A is located on the the orb circle C on the orb circle B. As a result of such compound orbital movement imparted to the rotative center of circle A the development of this circle then will take the form as indicated at line Al, and a smaller circle rolling on line A then will follow the resultant direction AI caused by the movement of the rotative center of circle 'A in the compound orbital movement of B and C.

As a point on the orb B moves away from a given point for a distance of degrees and moves toward the same point for the next 180 degrees it produces a lead to the. right, as shown below the line 3, or to the left, as shown above the line 3. The motion produced by the orb B is,

referred to as the lead, while the motion produced by the orb C. is referred to as the distribution. A point on orb C also has a right and left hand lead similar to that of a point on the orb B.

When the lead produced by the orb B and orb C are interposed in the'movement illustrated, then the small circle or sphere rolling along the line AI will have a constant gain in its development which is illustrated by the distances along the line AI between the crossings of lines I l', 22, 4--4' and 55'. In this figure the starting point was taken at line 3. Translating the resultant motion Al into a winding motion, the filament wound on a core rolling on line AI will take the form of said line.

Referring to the illustrative form of mechanism embodying the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3. a frame or housing 6 which supports'the' mech anism has attached thereto circular end plates 1 in which a large shaft 8 is iournalled. The

. described. 'Power may be supplied to the shaft H at any desired point along its length from any suitable means.

The shaft 8 is held in proper longitudinal position relative to the bearing plates 1 by its gear 9 at one end and by a collar l3 made fast thereto near the other end.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 8 to one side of the axis thereof is a planet shaft IS, the same being carried by anti-friction bearings l4 retained in member 8 by retainer plates IS. The center of shaft l5 describes the orb B referred to in Fig. 4.

Means are provided for driving shaft l5 as it moves in its orbit. The means shown comprises a pinion l1 fast on the shaft mounted within a recess l8 in the member 8 and meshing with a gear 2| rotatably mounted on a shaft 20 secured in lugs I9 formed on the member 8. The gear 2| meshes with an internal ring gear 22 made fast within the main frame 6. As the shaft 8 shaft 8 is driven through the medium of-a gear 8 Each disc bears an inwardly extending driving stud 21, located conveniently close to its geometric center, which engages within an elongated slot 28 formed in the end of the shaft 8. Each disc 25 is provided with an eccentrically disposed circular opening therethrough within which op-,

erates an eccentric. bushing 23 fast on planet shaft 15. Anti-friction bearings 24 may, if desired, be interposed between the eccentric bushing 23 and the disc 25. Each .disc 25 is retained on the shaft l5 by a retaining plate 26 secured to the end of the shaft.

Each disc 25 is thus rotated about a point located on the orb C, that is, on the circle described by the center C of the eccentric bushing 23 (Fig. 1) which is to one side of the center B of the shaft l5 which lies in the orb B. The disc 25, then, is in reality an eccentric. This would bevery easily understood-if the rotative speed of disc 25 had been made different from the speed .of shaft 8, but, as herein shown, the disc 25 and shaft 8 have the same rotative speed due to the pin-and-slot connection 21, 28. The present construction is preferred because it obviates an additional train of gears required if the disc 25' is to be driven at a different speed from that of shaft 8, as may be required for some' classes of work.

Each eccentric 25 is provided on its working face 'with some means for securing frictional contact with the core or work piece which it is to drive. The means herein shown comprises an annular ring 29 of a cushioning friction material sudh as rubber cemented in a groove formed in the disc 25.

Each of the winding discs is adapted to wind two cores and since the present machine has two discs it is adapted to wind four cores at once. The winding positions are ind cated in Fig. 2. The cores or balls, or rather their positions, may be indicated by the numerals 3t, 3t and 32. These are the only ones visible in the drawings but it will be understood that there is a fourth core or position on the left hand disc 25 in Fig. 1 which lies behind core 30 in that figure, and behind core 32 in Fig. 2, which is not visible in the drawing.

Each of these cores or balls bears against the annular friction track 29 on one of the discs 25 and the winding operation performed on each ball is entirely independent of the winding operations on the other balls. That is, the winding on each core may be started and stopped and cores inserted and removed at any winding position at any time without stopping the machine or interfering with the windingof the other cores.

Means are provided for holding the cores pressed against the discs 25. As indicated above, the winding of each core is independent of that of all others, so the holding means for each core will be independent of all others. The four holding devices for the present machine are identical in construction-ethough two are mounted upside down with respect to the other two due to the difference in direction of travel of the disc at opposite sides-so a description of one will serve for all.

Each core holding device is mounted on a bracket 33 which is secured to the main frame 6 by a bolt and slot anchorage to. permit suitable adjustment toward and from the geometric center of disc 25. By such adjustment some variation in the dimensional relation of the line,

A (Fig. 4) to the orb C-and orb B can be made and by such change in their relationship the final pattern of winding the filament on the core is changed. That is, by making the circle A larger or smaller with relation to the orbs C and B, the gain as indicated between the lines I-I', 2-2', 4-4 and 5-5 can be made larger or smaller as desired. As a result, the strands of filament on the core will lay closer together or wider apart for each convolution of the core being wound.

Various forms of core holding mechanisms may be employed. The particular one illustrated comprises a slide 34 mounted in guides in the bracket 33 and provided with rotatable core holding discs, an upper pair 35, 35 and a lower pair 35. 35, mounted on supporting shafts set at suitable angles to each other to form a cup like pocket to hold the core so it is free to rotate as it is being driven by the disc 25.

The slide 3| is pressed toward the disc 25 by any suitable means, such as a compression spring 31 and may be pulled away from the disc by the operator, a handle 38 being provided on the slide 3| for this purpose.

Means are provided for starting the winding operation for each core and for halting the winding when the ball wound on the core has reached a predetermined size. The means herein shown comprises plates adapted to be interposed between the core and winding disc to break their contact. To this end there are mounted in vertical guides in the bracket 33. a

feed or starting slide 44 and a stop slide 43. The stop slide is urged downward to a position between .the core and the winding disc 25 by a tension spring 45 attached to lugs on the slide and on the bracket 33, respectively. The stop slide 43 is normally held in outward position by a sliding latch 48 mounted in suitable guides parallel to the slide 34. The latch is tripped when the ball has reached its predetermined size by the engagement of a lug 39 on the slide 34- which, of course, moves outward as the ball increases in size-with an adjustable set screw it provided on the slide latch ll'L- By the ad- .iustment of screw 4! the size of the ball will be altered. as will be obvious. Feed slide 44 is free robe moved at will in its guides, though it may have a slight binding action to avoid unauthorized movement. It is adapted to be moved between the core and the winding disc 25 when the core is first inserted and while the slide 43 is latched in outer position to prevent the core from being turned immediately. when ready. the slide I4 is pulled downward to allow the core to engage the disc 25. Both the stop ing sheave or capstan .49 secured to a rotatable shaft 50 mounted in the other end of the bracket 75 stan 49, then one or more turns in counterplace tension on the filament 48. It is not illustrated because it does not per seform any part of the present invention.

Whatever may be the kind of tensioning dc vice used, the capstan 49 is retardedin rotation, caused by the pull of the filament originating in the winding action of the core caused by friction with'the winding disc 25, toimpart the desired tension to the filament.

A pressure or distributing idler is rotatably mounted on a swingable arm 52 pivoted at an axis 53 on the frame 33. The idler serves to hold the convolutions of the filment in gripping engagement on the capstan 49 as well as to distribute the convolutions properly to prevent tangling with the oncoming and off-going filament. The idler may be held against the capstan by gravity. or by a spring or other suitable means, not shown. For clearness of illustration the idler is shown separated from the capstan, but in operation it directly engages the capstan.

Means may be provided for heat-shrinking the filament on the core to obtain greater tension therein when this is desired and the filament is of such a nature as to be capable of responding to such treatment. The means herein shown comprises an electric hot plate 54 located as near as convenient to the core being wound and in a position where the filament will pass over or near the heating surface. may thus be produced in the filament just prior to its winding on the core and as the hot filament is wound .tightly on the core and is then permitted to cool on'the core, an additional tension is set up due to shrinkage on cooling. For winding golf balls with a rubber filament a temperature of between 100 F. and 300 F. may be employed. Other temperatures may be employed in keeping with the requirements of the article being produced and the filamentary material being wound thereon. It is found that the additional tension due to heat shrinkage is beneficial because, for example, a golf ball so, wound can be driven a considerably greater distance with,

a given impulse than a ball wound in the usual way. I

In operation, a filament is taken from a source of supply, not shown, and is given one or more turns in a clockwise direction about the capclockwise direction about the idler 5i and again a partial turn about the capstan 49 in clockwise direction. It is then conducted over the guiding sheave 46 and the free end is given a few turns by hand about the core. Assuming the stop.

slide 43 to be latched in its outer position, the feed slide 44 is moved up into a position between the disc 25 and the core holding discs 35, 36. The slide 34 is moved outward to make space for the core, the core inserted, and they slide 34 released to grip the core between the holding discs 35, 36 and the slide 44. Any slack in the filament is taken up by back-winding the filament to the source of supply. Assuming the driving disc 25 to be in continuous operation, the slide 44 is pulled down when ready to permit the Any suitable temperature core to be engaged with the face of the disc 25 so that winding begins.

when the desired size has been reached the lug 39 on the slide 34 engages the set screw.4l-

on the slide latch 40 and withdraws .the latch, whereupon the stop slide 43 being released moves down through the action of spring 45 and-separates the ball wound on the core from the driving disc 25. The operator then removes the ball, resets the stop slide 43 and introduces a new core in the manner describedaboven' If it is desired to wind the filament with closer spacing the bracket 33 may be set closer to the geometric center of the -disc,25; and, if a more open spacing is desired it is moved-in the opposite direction. Thus any desired winding may be produced within the capacity'offthe device.

It will be apparent that a slight change in the characteristics of the machine necessary to change the relationship of the circle A, orb B or orb C (Fig. 4), will result in an entirely different development form for the line indicated at Al from that which is shown. The particular dimensional and speed relationships have been selected to produce a winding pattern on the surface of the finished ball which is well suited for the proper amalgamation of the wound filament and the coverto be. placed-thereover, as for example, the balata cover of golf balls.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described with particularity, it is to be understood that the invention may be variously embodied within the. limits of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim? v 1. The method of producing a spherical body formed of a core and a body of filamentary material wound thereon, which comprises, winding hot elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in the wound body when relieved of heat, under tension on a .core to form convolutions thereon, and cooling cord to form convolutions thereon, and normalizing the wound sphere by cooling subsequent to winding.

3. The method of producing a spherical body formed of a core and a body of filamentary material wound thereon, which comprises, winding hot elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in'the wound body when relieved of heat,under tension on a comparatively cold core, and permitting the convolutions' to .cool on said core subsequent to winding.

' 4. The method of producing a spherical body formed of a core and a body of filamentary material wound thereon, which comprises, producing elongation in a section of a continuous elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in thewound body when relieved of heat, by mechanical tension and simultaneously heating said section to elevate its temperature, winding said section on a core beformed of a corelanr a body of filamentary material wound thereon, which comprises, simultaneously elongating and heating a section of a continuous elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tensionin the wound body when relieved of heat, winding the hot filament on a core, and cooling the wound sphere.

6. The method of producing a spherical body formed of a core and a body of filamentary materlal wound thereon, which comprises, simultaneously heating and elongating elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in the wound body when relieved of heat, by mechanical tension, winding the hot filament on a core to form a sphere, and permitting said sphere to cool during the period of winding.

7. The method of producing a spherical body formed of a core and a body of filamentary material wound thereon, which comprises, winding elastic hot filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in the wound body when relieved of heat, under tension upon a core to form a spherical body, and simultaneously and/or subsequently cooling said sphere. 8. The method of winding spherical bodies,

which comprises, simultaneously elongating and heating elastic filament, which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension inthe wound body when relieved of heat, winding said filament on a core to form a sphere, and cooling said sphere subsequent to winding.

9. The method of manufacturing spherical bodies which comprises, winding elastic filamentary material, which is capable of heat expansion and which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in the wound body when relieved of heat, upon is hot, under tension, and permitting the wound sphere to cool subsequent to winding.

10. The method of manufacturing spherical bodies, which comprises, winding elastic rubber filamentary material which is able to retain most of its resiliency at temperatures between 100 and 300 degrees F. and which is capable of strand shrinkage to increase its tension in the wound body when relieved of heat upon a core while said filament is hot and under tension, and permitting the wound sphere to cool subsequent to winding.

. FRANK HONIG.

a core while said filament 

